Orchid and Rock《灌兰图轴》

Wang Su (1794–1877)
Wang Su, courtesy name Xiaomei and later known as Xunzhi, was from Ganquan (present-day Yangzhou), Jiangsu. He was an important painter in the 19th-century Yangzhou art scene. From a young age, he studied painting and followed the style of Hua Yan, capturing its essence. He was skilled in various subjects, including figures, flowers, birds, animals, and fish, but his main achievements were in figure and ladies’ paintings. Despite lamenting his clumsy calligraphy, he practiced hundreds of characters every morning without fail, even into old age. His seal carving followed the style of Han dynasty seals and was quite remarkable, though often overshadowed by his fame as a painter.

“Orchid and Rock” (1855)
In this painting, the background elements such as rocks, bamboo, and parasol trees are rendered in a small freehand style, while the central figures of the ladies, the flower stand, and the orchids are more meticulously executed, creating a contrast. The two ladies are elegantly posed, and the lines of their clothing reflect the expressive style of Huang Shen and Min Zhen. The varying ink tones are rich and natural, with a rhythmic quality. The overall composition is elegant and refined, with the figures exuding a sense of beauty and scholarly charm. The inscription reads: “Orchids and Rock. Painted by Xiaomei Wang Su in Shaobo Embankment, six days before the Flower Morning of the Yimao year.” The seal reads “Xiaomei also known as Xunzhi.”

王素（1794—1877），字小梅，晚号逊之，江苏甘泉（今扬州）人，19世纪扬州画坛上的重要画家。幼时即学画，宗法华嵒，得其神似。他路数开阔，凡人物、花鸟、走兽、虫鱼，无不入妙，但主要成就还在人物及仕女画上。自悔书拙，每晨必临数百字，至老无间。篆刻宗法汉印，颇为可观，为画名所掩。

此件《灌兰图轴》背景之石头、竹草及梧桐用小写意手法，而中间仕女、盆架及兰花则相对较工整，二者形成了一种对比。两位仕女侧立顾盼，姿态优美，人物衣褶线条吸取了黄慎、闵贞写意人物的特点，墨色的变化丰富，顿挫自然，富有节奏感。整幅作品清淡雅逸、蕴情含蓄，人物的意态极美，文秀之气跃然纸上。款署：“灌兰图。乙卯花朝前六日，邗上小某王素画于邵伯埭。”款下钤朱文“小梅又字逊之”印。